()(ある)

たべあるく
verb (godan)
to eat one's way around; to visit various eateries; to eat while walking
他動詞 transitivefoodleisure
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present()(ある)()(ある)かない
Present polite()(ある)きます()(ある)きません
Past()(ある)いた()(ある)かなかった
Past polite()(ある)きました()(ある)きませんでした
て form()(ある)いて()(ある)かなくて
ている present()(ある)いている()(ある)いていない
ている polite()(ある)いています()(ある)いていません
ている past()(ある)いていた()(ある)いていなかった
ている past polite()(ある)いていました()(ある)いていませんでした
Conditional ば()(ある)けば()(ある)かなければ
Conditional たら()(ある)いたら()(ある)かなかったら
Volitional()(ある)こう
Volitional polite()(ある)きましょう
Potential()(ある)ける()(ある)けない
Passive()(ある)かれる()(ある)かれない
Causative()(ある)かせる()(ある)かせない
Imperative()(ある)()(ある)くな
1. to eat one's way around; to try food at various places
To visit multiple restaurants, food stalls, or eating establishments to sample their food, often as a leisure activity or culinary exploration.
ラーメン()(ある)く。
To eat ramen at various places.
My hobby is visiting different cafes around town on my days off.
I ate my way around the famous restaurants of Kyoto and found a favorite.
2. to eat while walking; to snack on the go
To eat food while walking along a street, especially at tourist spots or food markets.
To eat while walking through the shopping street.
Eating at the street stalls while walking around is fun.
In Asakusa, many tourists enjoy eating their way along Nakamise Street.

Compound verb of ()べる (to eat) + (ある) (to walk). The noun form ()(ある) is extremely common and popular in Japanese food culture.

Usage

The noun form ()(ある) is used more frequently than the verb form and appears in travel guides, food blogs, and TV programs. Sense 1 (()(ある) as visiting multiple eateries) is a popular leisure activity in Japan, with dedicated TV shows, books, and online guides. Sense 2 (eating while walking) is common at tourist areas and festivals, though some traditional areas consider it poor manners.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • ()(ある) — to drink one's way around, bar-hopping
  • はしご — hopping between multiple bars/restaurants (informal)
  • ()(くら)べ — taste comparison, trying the same dish at different places